The flashing red-and-blue lights painted the rain-soaked beach house in surreal hues, reflecting off the jagged rocks where Mia’s lifeless body had been found. The paramedics carried her on a stretcher, her face obscured by a tarp. Rain pounded relentlessly, streaking the ambulance windows and soaking the sand.

Inside a dimly lit room, Ruby sat on a cold metal chair, her body trembling. Her wet clothes clung to her, and her teeth chattered softly. Across from her, the Chief Inspector Cain leaned forward, his sharp eyes unyielding.

“Tell me what happened,” he demanded, his tone firm but edged with patience.

Ruby’s lips parted, but no words came out. Her fingers clenched the edge of her chair, and her gaze shifted to the small clock on the wall, its ticking loud in the silence.

“Ruby,” the inspector said again, softer this time. “You were there. You saw it. Start from the beginning.”

She closed her eyes, taking a deep, shaky breath. Memories flickered like lightning—bright and brief, before plunging her back into darkness.

The sun was just rising, painting the sky in a symphony of gold and pink. The group had just arrived at the beach house, their laughter and chatter filling the crisp morning air.

Megara was the first to hop out of the car, her vibrant yellow scarf fluttering in the ocean breeze. She spun in place, arms wide, as if embracing the moment. “This is it! The ultimate escape! Breathe it in, guys!”

Moon stepped out behind her, more composed but equally entranced by the view. “It’s beautiful,” she said, adjusting her oversized sunglasses. Her calm demeanor balanced Megara’s exuberance, the two an unlikely yet complementary pair.

“This view!” Mia exclaimed, her phone already in hand as she began streaming live. “Morning, my lovelies! Look at this—absolute paradise, and guess what? You get to enjoy it with me!”

“Careful, Mia,” Moon said with a smirk. “You might break the internet with that energy.”

“Break it*? Please, darling, Iownit!*” Mia shot back, blowing a kiss toward her phone.

“Let her be,” Megara chimed in, laughing. “She’s practically a celebrity. I’ll allow it.”

Sandy groaned as he stepped out, shielding his eyes with his hand. “Can we enjoy one moment without it being a production?”

Mia turned the camera to him. “And here we have the grouch of the group, ladies and gentlemen!”

“Do you ever stop?” Sandy asked, rolling his eyes but smiling despite himself.

“Not for you,” she quipped.

A little distance away, Ishi and Soel lingered behind the group, sharing a stolen moment.

“You’re glowing,” Soel murmured, his gaze soft as it met hers.

“Stop,” Ishi replied, her voice teasing but laced with affection. “What if someone sees us?”

“Let them,” Soel said, stepping closer. His fingers grazed hers, and when she didn’t pull away, he leaned in. Their lips met, soft and tentative at first, before deepening. The sound of the waves muffled everything else, cocooning them in their secret.

Ishi pulled back with a nervous laugh. “We’re going to get caught.”

Soel smirked. “Worth it.”

On the deck, Vin and Ruby stood side by side, gazing out at the ocean.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” Vin asked, his voice thoughtful.

Ruby nodded, her arms hugging herself against the breeze. “It feels... endless. Like time stops here.”

“Moments like these should mean something,” he said quietly. “Do you ever wonder if we take things for granted?”

She looked at him, puzzled. “That’s deep for this early in the morning. Everything okay?”

He hesitated, his eyes fixed on the horizon. “Just thinking.”

Their conversation was interrupted by Sana’s arrival. Clipboard in hand, she looked like she was ready to run a military operation. “Okay, here’s the plan: breakfast in an hour, jet skis at noon, and dinner at 8. Mia, don’t stream during the jet ski ride—I don’t want to fish your phone out of the ocean again.”

“Sana, you’re my rock,” Mia said dramatically. “Without you, this group would collapse into chaos.”

“Someone has to be responsible,” Sana replied, shaking her head but smiling.

Meanwhile, Megara had taken over the outdoor seating area, arranging beach towels and cushions like it was her personal design project.

“This is prime sunbathing real estate,” she declared, plopping onto a chair with flair. “First come, first served.”

Moon sat beside her, flipping through a book. “You’ve got the energy of a golden retriever. Did you secretly chug an energy drink in the car?”

“Maybe,” Megara said with a wink. “Or maybe I’m just high on life.”

“You’re exhausting,” Moon said fondly.

“Love you too, babe.”

Richard and Sandy were mid-argument over who was better at volleyball.

“I’m just saying,” Sandy declared, “I have the height advantage. And the skill. You? You’re just flailing arms.”

Richard laughed. “Height means nothing if you can’t aim. You’ll spike it into the ocean before you even hit the net.”

“You’re both delusional,” Megara chimed in, grinning as she sipped her coffee. “I’ll take you both down, no contest.”

“You?” Sandy asked, raising an eyebrow. “You’re like five feet tall.”

“Five feet of pure power,” she shot back.

“I’ll believe it when I see it,” Richard said with a smirk.

As the morning unfolded, the group’s dynamic played out like a vibrant mosaic of personalities—laughter, teasing, and subtle undercurrents of tension. Mia remained at the center of it all, her chaotic energy pulling everyone into her orbit.

Yet beneath the surface, something unspoken lingered. Glances that lasted a beat too long, smiles that didn’t quite reach the eyes. And through it all, the waves rolled on, oblivious to the storm brewing among them.

 --------------------------------

Character information

** Ruby:** The quietly intense dreamer with a magnetic presence and a streak of vulnerability.

Played by @┆ᯓᡣ𐭩ʚ 𝕭𝖚𝖙𝖙𝖊𝖗 ɞ♡ྀི ₊┆𐙚

Ishi: The fiery spirit whose passion and sharp wit command attention.

Played by @𝕀𝕊𝕙𝕀.・✧

Sana: The poised and dependable soul, radiating calm and quiet strength.

Played by @_____ (San)

Mia: The lively whirlwind, whose unpredictability keeps everyone on edge.

Played by @ Mikayu ♪♪

Moon: The reserved thinker, carrying an aura of mystery and sensitivity.

Played by @≛⃝ꨄ𝑀𝓊𝒻𝒻𝒾𝓃 ᴳᵒᵈᵈᵉˢˢ

Megara: The composed realist, offering a steadying hand amidst the chaos.

Played by @𝐌𝐢м𝐢

Vin: The stoic protector, exuding strength but hiding unspoken burdens.

Played by @꧁ ✟ 𝐵𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑘 𝑅𝑒𝑎𝑝𝑒𝑟 ✟꧂

Jack: The brooding enigma, with a charm that conceals inner turmoil.

Soel: The smooth-talking charmer, effortlessly drawing people in.

Played by @✈𝑺𝒐𝒖𝒍࿐

Sandy: The laid-back joker, bringing levity and warmth to the group.

Played by @༒︎✵_𝒎𝒓.𝐒𝐊𝐘™_✵༒︎

Richard: The calm and grounded presence, quietly observant and deeply thoughtful.

Played by @richard≛⃝🦅

Thanks to all my MT friends who I asked for being my novel’s character love yall!

The beach house was alive with energy. The group was playing volleyball, laughter echoing in the air as the sound of crashing waves filled the background. Everyone was in high spirits—well, almost everyone.

Sana was her usual composed self, leading the game with precision and making sure no one got hurt. But every time Soel made eye contact with her, she couldn’t help but feel her heart skip a beat. The subtle glances, the way he smiled when their eyes met—it wasn’t obvious, but she could feel it. Sana was good at hiding her emotions, but the tension was starting to simmer just beneath the surface.

Ishi, who was also on the sidelines watching the game, noticed the subtle moments between Soel and Sana. Her jealousy bubbled up, an emotion she had tried to suppress for a long time. She couldn’t help but feel a tight knot in her stomach as she saw Soel look at Sana the way he used to look at her. They were supposed to be together—secretly, of course—but seeing him distracted by someone else felt like a dagger to her heart.

“Focus, Ishi,” Ruby teased, noticing her distracted friend.

Ishi quickly forced a smile, trying to act like everything was fine. But deep down, the feeling of possessiveness over Soel was growing stronger. She wished she could claim him openly, but that was a conversation for another time.

The group continued their light-hearted fun, but the sudden sound of a car pulling up on the gravel driveway caught everyone’s attention.Jack had arrived.

Ruby froze, her body stiffening as soon as she saw him step out of the car. The others were oblivious to the history between the two, but Ruby couldn’t hide the surge of emotions that washed over her. Her ex, the one person she had spent years trying to forget, was standing on the doorstep, looking as calm and collected as ever.

“Ruby?” Ishi asked, noticing her friend's sudden change in posture.

Ruby’s voice was tight when she spoke. “Jack... He's here.”

“Jack? Your ex?” Ishi’s eyes widened in realization. “Oh, this should be interesting.”

Ruby quickly turned away, not wanting to draw attention to her discomfort. It wasn’t just that Jack had arrived—it was that Mia had invited him. Ruby had told her a thousand times that she didn’t want to see him again, but Mia never listened.

“I didn’t even know he was invited,” Ruby muttered bitterly.

Mia, overhearing her, shrugged nonchalantly. “What’s the big deal? He’s here. Let’s have fun.”

Ruby clenched her fists, but before she could respond, she heard Jack calling her name.

“Ruby, I didn’t expect to see you here,” Jack said, his voice shaky as he approached her.

The tension was palpable. Ruby didn’t want to acknowledge him, but there was something about the way he stood there—like he was walking on eggshells around her—that made it harder to ignore.

“Mia invited me,” Jack continued, his eyes searching hers, as if looking for some sign of forgiveness. “I didn’t know you’d be here.”

“Of course, she invited you,” Ruby replied, her voice colder than she intended. “She always does whatever she wants.”

Inside the house, things were no less complicated. Mia and Moon were in the room changing clothes, and Mia casually threw out a comment that took Moon completely by surprise.

“So, Jack’s here,” Mia said, her voice light and teasing as she glanced over at Moon. “Will that make you happy?”

Moon froze, her heart racing. She hadn’t told anyone about her feelings for Jack, not a single soul. How could Mia know? Was she teasing her? It was a question she couldn’t answer.

"What?” Moon asked, her voice unsure. “Why would you say that?”

Mia chuckled lightly, as though it was no big deal. “I don’t know. I just thought maybe you’d be excited to see him. You always seem to have a thing for him.”

Moon swallowed hard. She had never once confided in Mia about Jack. Mia couldn’t possibly know. Could she?

She tried to brush it off, her mind racing. “I don’t know what you mean.”

Mia, however, seemed unfazed. “Of course. I guess I’m just imagining things.”

But Moon couldn’t shake the feeling that Mia knew more than she was letting on. Was she trying to play games with her, or was there something else at play?

As the conversation ended, Moon felt a knot of unease settle in her stomach. She had to be careful around Mia now. Something was off, and she couldn’t figure out why Mia seemed so nonchalant about Jack.

Meanwhile, Jack tried to engage with Ruby, but every attempt fell flat. He was nervous around her, a side of him that nobody had seen before. He had been the one to break up with her all those months ago but seeing her again stirred feelings he wasn’t prepared for.

“I’m not here to cause any trouble,” Jack said, his voice uncertain as he approached her. “I just... I didn’t want to leave things like we did.”

Ruby’s expression hardened. “You didn’t want to leave things, but you did. That’s all I need to know.”

The awkward silence between them was thick, and Ishi—who had been watching from a distance—noticed the way Ruby reacted to Jack. Her earlier jealousy had melted away into something else: confusion and uncertainty. She hadn’t expected to see this side of Ruby. There was something unresolved between her and Jack, and it made Ishi’s own worries about Soel feel insignificant for the moment.

Richard and Megara, who were getting ready for the next round of games, glanced over at the tense interactions between Ruby and Jack.

“Do you think they’re okay?” Megara whispered to Richard, a flicker of concern in her eyes.

Richard shrugged, his gaze flicking between the two. “It doesn’t seem like it. I’m not sure what happened, but there’s definitely something between them.”

Soel, too, was aware of the tension. His eyes lingered on Sana, but his thoughts were occupied by Ruby and Jack. Something was off, and he couldn’t help but feel a little uneasy, not knowing what would happen next.

The beach house glowed in the soft light of lanterns strung along the porch, their gentle sway in the breeze belying the crackling tension inside. The evening had started as a celebration, but there was something about the mix of personalities that made it hard for any real harmony to last. Everyone laughed and clinked glasses, but the smiles were stretched thin.

Mia leaned against the counter in the kitchen, a slice of cake in one hand and her phone in the other, scrolling through comments on her latest livestream. She glanced up as Sandy strolled in, grabbing a drink from the fridge.

“You know, you’re kind of scary,” he said, popping the cap off his bottle.

Mia grinned, tilting her head. “Scary? How so?”

“You’ve got this way of knowing everything about everyone. Makes me wonder what you’ve got on me.”

Mia smirked, taking a bite of cake. “Oh, Sandy. If I told you, where’s the fun in that?”

Sandy chuckled, leaning against the counter opposite her. “You’re something else. Always stirring the pot, always watching.”

“Someone has to keep things interesting,” Mia replied. “Besides, it’s not my fault everyone has secrets they’re dying to keep.”

Sandy raised his bottle in mock salute. “Fair enough. Just don’t put me on blast in one of your streams.”

Mia’s grin widened. “No promises.”

In the living room, Ruby sat stiffly in a corner, her eyes flickering toward Jack, who hovered awkwardly near the drinks table. His presence had thrown her off completely, and she was still fuming at Mia for inviting him. She wanted to scream, but she settled for glaring at Mia whenever their eyes met.

Moon sat on the couch beside Sana, nervously twisting the edge of her sleeve. Her thoughts kept circling back to what Mia had said earlier. Jack’s arrival had set her on edge, and Mia’s uncanny ability to know things no one else did was terrifying. She had been careful—so careful—not to let her feelings for Jack slip, and yet Mia had teased her about it so casually, as if it were common knowledge.

Out by the bonfire, Soel and Ishi had wandered away from the group under the pretense of gathering firewood. Under the shadows of the palm trees, Ishi leaned against Soel, her arms wrapped around his neck.

“She keeps looking at you, you know,” she murmured, her voice low and edged with jealousy.

“Who?” Soel asked, though he already knew.

“Sana.” Ishi’s lips curled in a half-smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “You’re enjoying it, aren’t you?”

Soel sighed, pulling her closer. “Ishi, come on. You know it’s nothing.”

“Then why do you keep glancing at her?” she pressed.

Before he could answer, she silenced him with a kiss, her fingers tangling in his hair. It was fierce, almost possessive, a reminder that he was hers—even if no one else knew.

Back at the bonfire, Richard took a seat next to Megara, who was poking at the embers with a stick.

“Careful,” he said with a grin. “You’ll put the whole fire out.”

Megara rolled her eyes but smiled. “I’m just keeping it alive.”

“Speaking of keeping things alive,” Richard began, his tone teasing, “what do you think about carving out some time for just the two of us tomorrow?”

Megara raised an eyebrow, her smile playful. “Are you asking me out, Richard?”

“Maybe,” he said, leaning slightly closer. “Depends on your answer.”

Megara laughed softly, the sound carrying over the crackling flames. “We’ll see.”

On the other side of the fire, Ruby finally had enough of Jack’s quiet, lingering presence. She stood abruptly, heading into the house and slamming the door behind her. Mia caught her retreat and followed, finding her in one of the bedrooms, pacing furiously.

“Seriously, Mia?” Ruby snapped as soon as she entered. “What were you thinking, inviting Jack?”

Mia leaned casually against the doorframe, entirely unbothered. “It’s my birthday, Ruby. I invited everyone I wanted to see.”

“You know what he did to me!” Ruby hissed, her voice low but venomous.

Mia shrugged. “And? It’s been, what, a year? Maybe it’s time to let it go.”

Ruby glared at her, her fists clenched at her sides. “You’re unbelievable.”

Mia smirked. “Relax. It’s just a week. Try not to let him ruin it for you.”

Before Ruby could respond, Moon appeared in the doorway, looking uneasy. Mia’s smirk widened as she glanced between them.

“What’s wrong, Moon? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

Moon hesitated, her gaze flickering to Ruby. “I—nothing. Never mind.”

Mia’s grin didn’t waver. “Good. Now, let’s get back out there. Can’t have a party without the birthday girl.”

As Mia sauntered away, Moon remained in the doorway, her thoughts racing. She was sure Mia knew far more than she let on, and it terrified her. For the rest of the night, Moon kept a wary distance, her eyes constantly darting to where Mia sat by the fire, her laughter ringing out like a warning bell.

The night stretched on, but the warmth of the bonfire did little to thaw the tension simmering beneath the surface. No one spoke of it, but everyone felt it—the sense that this weekend was teetering on the edge of something irreversible.